Softwr

Weather · head to head

Plume Labs vs PurpleAir

Plume Labs logo

Plume Labs

Weather

Personal air quality tracking and forecasting

From
$179/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PurpleAir logo

PurpleAir

Weather

Real-time air quality monitoring for communities

From
$229/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Plume Labs plume Labs states on its own site that the Flow and Flow 2 hardware are no longer available for purchase, while the Plume Labs App and the Plume API continue to operate; PurpleAir purpleAir sensors are one-time hardware purchases rather than a subscription, priced $199 to $279 USD per unit for named models (PA-I-Indoor, PA-II, PA-II-SD), per the vendor's own store (archived, 2021).
  • They diverge on capability: Plume Labs covers Personal air sensor, PurpleAir covers PM2.5 monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plume Labs and PurpleAir actually diverge.

Attributes where Plume Labs and PurpleAir differ
AttributePlume LabsPurpleAir
Starting price$179/one-time$229/one-time
PlatformsIos, Android, HardwareWeb, Api, Hardware
Founded20142015

Identical on both: pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Weather).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Plume Labs

  • Personal air sensor
  • Real-time tracking
  • Exposure insights
  • Route suggestions
  • Health tips
  • Mobile app
  • Fitness trackers
  • Smart home

Only in PurpleAir

  • PM2.5 monitoring
  • Real-time map
  • Historical data
  • Community network
  • API access
  • API access
  • Home Assistant
  • Data downloads

Both cover

  • Hardware support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Plume Labs

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

PurpleAir

  • Professional Work
  • Content Creation

Both are used for professional work, content creation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Plume Labs

  • Plume Labs states on its own site that the Flow and Flow 2 hardware are no longer available for purchase, while the Plume Labs App and the Plume API continue to operate

PurpleAir

  • PurpleAir sensors are one-time hardware purchases rather than a subscription, priced $199 to $279 USD per unit for named models (PA-I-Indoor, PA-II, PA-II-SD), per the vendor's own store (archived, 2021).

Pricing, plan by plan

Plume Labs

$179/one-time
  • Flow 2$179/one-time
    • Personal sensor
    • Real-time tracking
    • App access

PurpleAir

$229/one-time
  • Outdoor Sensor$229/one-time
    • PM2.5 monitoring
    • Cloud connectivity
    • Map access
  • Indoor Sensor$199/one-time
    • Indoor monitoring
    • WiFi enabled
    • Real-time data

Which should you pick?

Choose Plume Labs if

  • You need personal air sensor.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Hardware.
  • You also want real-time tracking.
Plume Labs review

Choose PurpleAir if

  • You need pm2.5 monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Api, Hardware.
  • You also want real-time map.
PurpleAir review

Questions people ask

Is Plume Labs or PurpleAir better?
Neither clearly leads. Plume Labs starts at $179/one-time and PurpleAir at $229/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Plume Labs or PurpleAir?
Plume Labs starts at $179/one-time and PurpleAir at $229/one-time.
Does Plume Labs or PurpleAir run on more platforms?
Plume Labs runs on Ios, Android, Hardware. PurpleAir runs on Web, Api, Hardware.
What is Plume Labs best used for?
Plume Labs is most often used for professional work, content creation.
What can Plume Labs do that PurpleAir cannot?
Plume Labs covers Personal air sensor, Real-time tracking, Exposure insights, Route suggestions. PurpleAir covers PM2.5 monitoring, Real-time map, Historical data, Community network. Both handle Hardware support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plume Labs: Is the Flow 2 air quality sensor still available for purchase?

No. Plume Labs discontinued the Flow 2 hardware in Spring 2023. It is no longer for sale.

Source
Plume Labs: What air quality products does Plume Labs currently offer?

Plume Labs now offers the Plume Labs App for air quality forecasts and the Plume API for business data solutions. Specific pricing for these services is not disclosed on the website.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Plume Labs

More on PurpleAir

Keep looking

Other head to heads